12 (Warm) Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 2023

We all dream of sunshine during the cold, dark days of winter. Fortunately for writers, there are a dozen delightful conferences this January held in places we would rather be. 

If you miss your ideal conference this year, don't worry. Many of these are annual events, and quite a few offer scholarships. (Apply early!) 

For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)

(Image: Key West, Flickr)

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Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 5 - 15, 2023: Seaside, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 12–15, 2023: Key West, Florida. Each year, the Key West Literary Seminar explores a particular literary theme. In 2023, we will celebrate our 40th anniversary with “Singing America: A Celebration of Black Literature”

Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. January 13 - 16, 2023, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft talks, one-on-one tutorials, featured readings, and open mics. Tuition, which includes some meals, ranges from $490 to $690, depending on the workshop; lodging is not included. 

TMW January Jumpstart. January 14 - 15, 2023: Oak Ridge, TN. “We will have a “Meet and Greet” session Friday from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern. On Saturday there will be concurrent Poetry and Fiction morning sessions from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern, and afternoon sessions from 1:30 – 4:30 Eastern." Registration $150. Application deadline December 30.

Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Conference. January 14 -21, 2023, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. The faculty includes Emily Bernard, Laura Lippman, Ann Hood,  Andre Dubus III, Michael Koryta, Stewart O’Nan, Ana Menéndez, and many more. Required mask wearing while indoors.  All faculty, staff, and volunteers must show proof of vaccination, while students must either show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result. Application period runs from August 1 to November 1.

Writing By Writers DRAFT. Lake Tahoe and Boulder, CO. DRAFT is an intensive program for 15 writers who are committed to completing a novel, memoir, short story, or essay collection over the course of two years. Whether starting a first draft, or working through a new revision, this program is appropriate for writers who want a rigorous and supportive community throughout their process. Application Deadline, January 15, 2023; Acceptance Notification, February 1, 2023; Registration Deadline, February 15, 2023; Program Kick Off, February 28, 2023.

Digital Book World Conference. January 16 - 18, 2023: NYC. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models. 

Jaipur Literature Festival. January 19 - 23, 2023. Presentations, panels, readings, and music performances. In an uplifting celebration of the mind and heart, authors from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe will take part in provocative conversations about life and society, economics and the arts, equity, freedom, and the care of our planet. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.

Spiraling Through Structure: The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Lyric Form. January 21, 2023. Online. "Writing true stories using logics of pattern, image and arrangement. Sign up for this online workshop if you’re curious to learn about (or learn more about) telling true stories that resist chronology and employ logics of pattern, image, and arrangement. We will explore a few lyric forms, such as spliced, segmented, and braided. Then, I’ll lead you through an exercise that focuses on either inventing a new creative nonfiction piece or revising a draft into a new form. Participants will leave the workshop with some new or revised work and at least two techniques to use to generate and revise essays with particular attention to structure." Tuition: $50. 

Writing By Writers GET THE LEAD OUT! January 20 - 22, 2023: Online. This workshop brings all levels of writers together for a weekend of inspiration, craft and the generation of new work. Faculty:
Sequoia Nagamatsu, Pam Houston & Chip Livingston. Tuition: $750 includes one three-day workshop, admittance to all craft talks and readings.

Sunshine State Book Festival. January 27 - 28, 2023: Gainesville, Florida. "Our 2023 festival will feature 150 authors writing in 15 genres. Over a third of them have won literary awards. This year’s keynote address will be given by Janis Owens, notable author of four novels, a regional cookbook, and a book of nonfiction. She will speak on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.." Admission is free.

Colrain Classic. January 27 - 30, 2023: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.